1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glove with a reinforcement strip formed of a plurality of arranged one after another, reinforcement members with each two adjacent reinforcement members being connected with each other by a hinge element and having facing each other stop surfaces that abut each other in the extended position of the two adjacent reinforcement members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A glove worn on a hand covers the hand joints and should impair the mobility of the hand in the joints as little as possible. The joints of the hand naturally allow a forward rotation and are limited with respect to a rearward rotation. When the limitation of the rearward rotation is overcome by force, the joint or another part of the hand breaks. With respect to many useful purposes of gloves, there exists the danger that an excessive force will be exerted on the hand provided with the glove that will overcome the limitation of the rearward rotation by applying a force above that exerted by the hand itself. This danger is present, for example, in a goalkeepers glove or a construction worker""s glove. Therefore, the upper side of the glove is provided in the regions associated with a respective joint with a reinforcement strip which allows the forward rotation of the joint and is stiff and rigid against the rearward rotation beyond the natural limitation and which, therefore, prevents the joint or another part of the hand from breaking due to an excessive force.
German Patent DE-35 16 545 C2 discloses a glove of the type mentioned above. The rotational connections between the adjacent reinforcement members of the glove reinforcement strip are designed as bending areas which are formed by an inner material layer which is continuous over the reinforcement strip and which carries the reinforcement members. Each two adjacent reinforcement members face one another by their ends which form the contact surfaces. This reinforcement strip can be manufactured in an economical manner. The bending areas must be made relatively powerful since they must hold together not only the reinforcement members but must also absorb tearing stresses and excessive forces which are directed to overcoming the limitation of the rearward rotation. Consequently, the bending areas oppose the rotation with considerable resistance to be overcome by the hand wearing the glove. Accordingly, because of the stiffness of the bending areas, when bending and stretching, the glove-wearing hand has additional work to perform because of the bending areas of the glove, which contributes to fatigue of the hand.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a glove of the type mentioned above in which the rotational or hinge connections of the reinforcement strips are designed so as to allow an easier movement.
This and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by forming a pivot joint, which connects each two adjacent reinforcement members of a bearing cavity and a pivot engaging in the bearing cavity with a possibility of a rotational movement therein.
When constructed in a corresponding manner, the pivot joint ensures a smooth-running pivotal movement of every two adjacent reinforcement members relative to one another. In the glove according to the present invention, the reinforcement strip is prevented from contributing to fatigue of the hand. The glove according to the present invention is generally used as a sports glove, primarily as a goalkeeper""s glove. The pivot joint according to the present invention increases smoothness of the pivotal movement of the reinforcement strip which is of an increased importance in a sports glove. The reinforcement strip is associated, for example, with the wrist joint, also with the glove extending over the wrist joint to the forearm. As a rule, however, the reinforcement strip is associated with the joints of a finger, wherein it extends from the distal phalanx of the finger to the back of the hand.
The reinforcement members are formed as block-like formations which are arranged adjacent to one another and not as gutter or channel formations which overlap one another. Accordingly, the stop faces are arranged transverse to the longitudinal extension of the reinforcement strip and are not arranged in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the reinforcement strip. The pivot connections are not formed by an inner layer of the glove at which channel formations are arranged by eyelets. Rather, the pivot connections are formed by pivot joints which ensure a relatively precise guidance of the reinforcement members against one another and which are not loose or slack.
It is possible for projections or shoulders, which form the pivots and bearing cavities, to be arranged subsequently at a trunk or body of the housing. However, it is particularly advisable and advantageous when the reinforcement members provided with the pivots, and bearing cavities are injection-molded in one piece. This enables economical manufacture of the reinforcement strip of the glove according to the invention. The economical manufacture of the reinforcement strip is a precondition for its usability in practice.
It is conceivable that every two adjacent reinforcement members are provided with sleeves forming the bearing cavities, and a pin, which forms the pivot, is inserted through coaxially arranged sleeves. However, it is particularly advisable and advantageous when, with respect to two adjacent reinforcement members, when the pivot, which is inserted into the bearing cavity, forms with cavity a snap connection with the reinforcement members being provided with snap locking means. This simplifies the manufacture of the reinforcement strip because the assembly of the reinforcement members to form reinforcement strips is simplified.
In one of the embodiments of the invention, with respect to two adjacent reinforcement members, the pivot joint is formed of two joint parts associated with respective reinforcement members. The two joint parts are designed differently with one reinforcement member being provided on both sides with the first joint part and the other reinforcement member being provided on both sides with the second joint part. However, it is particularly advisable and advantageous when, with respect to two adjacent reinforcement members, with the pivot joint being formed of two joint parts, when each reinforcement member is provided with a first joint part on its one side and with a second joint part on its other side. This simplifies the production of the reinforcement members as well as the assembly of the reinforcement members to form the reinforcement strip.
It is then particularly advisable and advantageous when the two ends of the reinforcement strip are formed by a member which forms a joint part at the free end. This unused joint part which is located at the free end is not unsightly because it is concealed in the glove and circumvents the use of a special member which is free of the joint part at one end.
It is likewise particularly advisable and advantageous when each pivot joint forms, on the one hand, a shoulder with two coaxial pivots which project laterally away from the shoulder and, on the other hand, a bearing cavity which receives the two pivots and the end of the shoulder, and a recess or cutout which receives the shoulder. This results in a relatively simple, very stable pivot joint which is favorable with respect to injection molding technique.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.